News: Boy almost kicked off flight for having allergy

Best HealthSeptember 22, 2010

Chances are, many of you reading this right now are allergic to something. According to the Allergy Asthma Information Association, roughly 30 percent of Canadians suffer from allergies, asthma or anaphylaxis. But what if you were banned from doing something like flying because of your allergy? That’s what almost happened to 17-year-old Scott Neary, reports […]

Chances are, many of you reading this right now are allergic to something. According to the Allergy Asthma Information Association, roughly 30 percent of Canadians suffer from allergies, asthma or anaphylaxis. But what if you were banned from doing something like flying because of your allergy?

That’s what almost happened to 17-year-old Scott Neary, reports the magazine Allergic Living. According to this article, Neary and his mother, Maureen, were travelling on an an Air Canada flight to Toronto from Vancouver. While boarding, Neary’s mother asked a flight attendant to ask the other passengers to refrain from opening any peanut products on the flight because her son is allergic to them.

Rather than make the announcement, however, the pilot told Neary’s mom ‘that for the safety and comfort of his passengers, he didn’t feel safe taking my son on board,” she told Allergic Living. After some convincing, the pilot agreed to take Scott Neary on his flight. But the boy’s mother says the incident raises concerns over the rights of people travelling with medical conditions.

The article states that Air Canada’s representative wouldn’t comment on specifics of the incident. Air Canada’s website does state that while peanuts are no longer served on board, “if a passenger is allergic or sensitive to products that may be found in the cabin, it is this passenger’s responsibility to bring the proper medication and to have the proper protection.”

Do you think this was a case of discrimination or was the pilot being responsibly cautious?